Palais des Nations

Entering the Palais des Nations

To attend UNECE meetings at the Palais des Nations, you must register in advance online on the relevant conference/meeting's webpage. For Long Duration badges, please contact the secretariat of the meeting.

Delegates enter the Palais through the Pregny Gate (Portail Pregny - see map) entrance, which faces the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) headquarters on the Route de Pregny. In order to obtain your identity badge from the Security Services, you will be asked to present a valid passport or a national identity card. Your badge is strictly for your own personal use. Please note that delays here are common and lengthy and delegates are unfortunately required to wait in the open air.

Security measures

Strengthening access controls to the Palais des Nations

Users of the Palais des Nations are kindly informed that starting 1 February 2017, access to the Palais will be made more secure and most of the doors will be controlled by a centralized access security system and can only be opened by means of a magnetic United Nations grounds pass issued to authorized users. Only four doors (C-6, A-15, A-17 and E-40) will be accessible without a magnetic grounds pass from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. during working days to enable access to visitors and conference participants. Users can also exit the Palais through these four doors after 7:00 p.m.

You may bring into the Palais only the type of luggage that is normally considered as carry-on luggage by airline companies e.g. computer bags, rucksacks and hand bags. Should you have large luggage, after you have received your identity badge, the luggage will be stored for you by the Security Service if sufficient space is available.

*Disclaimer: The United Nations Office at Geneva declines all responsibility for any luggage stored. All pieces of luggage found unattended may be impounded and disposed of by the Security Services. Any costs related to the latter action may be charged to the owner of the luggage.

Private vehicles (for members of permanent missions only)

Delegates may drive to the Palais des Nations and park their vehicles in the parking lots in the compound, provided they have been delivered a parking sticker.Parking stickers are issued upon written request from the permanent missions. They can be collected from the Pass and Identification Unit of the Security and Safety Section at the Pregny Gate at the same time as the delegates’ security identification badges.

Making telephone calls in the Palais des Nations

All internal telephone numbers start with 7 and are followed by four digits. To make local Geneva calls, dial 0, followed by the prefix 022.

For other national or international calls, public telephones are at your disposal in the main foyers of the Palais. These accept prepaid cards and credit cards.

Where to find documents

Documents are available in limited quantities from the Distribution Service, located in office C.337, located on the third floor of the Palais, above door 6.

Transport

Free travel from the airport

Effective January 2008, free tickets for public transport will be available from a machine in the baggage collection area (on the left hand side just before passing customs) at Geneva International Airport (Information GIA). This Unireso ticket allows you free use of public transport in Geneva for a period of 80 minutes. In the event of a ticket inspection on the Transports Publics Genevois, CFF (Swiss Railways) or Mouettes Genevoises (municipal ferries), anyone holding this type of ticket may be asked to show their airline ticket. If you are staying at a hotel, youth hostel or campsite, the establishment will offer you a “Geneva Transport Card”, which allows you to use public transport in Geneva free of charge during the period of your stay. (More information is available from Genève Tourisme or the establishment concerned.)

Public transport (transports publics genevois)

In Geneva, public-transport tickets (TPG) must be purchased prior to boarding a tram, bus or ferry. Ticket machines are available at most stops. Travel cards or passes can be purchased at the main TPG centres (Rive, Cornavin and Bachet de Pesay) and at newsstands (including at the “Naville” kiosk in the Palais). Please note tickets are not available on the bus itself.

The Place des Nations (“Nations” stop) and Prégny Gate (“Appia” stop) entrances of the Palais are served by a number of tram and bus lines. The Place des Nations entrance, however is only for staff or delegates with a badge, valid identity document and accompanied by a staff member and who are not carrying luggage (laptops, rucksacks and hand bags are permitted). It is about a 500 metre walk uphill from the Place des Nations entrance to the Prégny entrance.

Buses 8, F, V, Z stop at both “Nations” and “Appia”.

Buses 11, 22 and tram 15 stop at “Nations”.

Transport from the airport to the Palais

Bus 28 goes from the airport to the Pregny Gate entrance (“Appia” stop), as well as to the Place des Nations (“Nations” stop). Bus 5 goes from the airport to Nations

Taxis are readily available from the airport. They are metered, so costs will vary, but the journey from the airport into the city centre will usually cost around CHF 30. The following direct telephone number will ensure arrival within minutes: 022 331 41 33.

A taxi stand is located on Avenue de la Paix, 50 metres uphill from the Nations gate and are available any time. Taxis cannot enter the UN compound - passengers will have to get off at the Pregny or Nations gates.

Air quality index for Geneva

Under the UNECE Air Convention, Governments cooperate to improve air quality for a better environment and human health.

Find out about the current air quality in Geneva:

The colours light blue (low) and green (moderate) indicate air pollution concentrations that are below the recommended limit value in Switzerland.